Virtually every music lover has had at least a nodding acquaintance with that proud, soulful, stirring form of folk music and dance created by the gypsies of the Andalusian region of Spain in the 19th century. Unhappily, by virtue of its very accessibility it has been turned into theatrical spectacle by promoters more concerned with personal gain than musical authenticity. This book, written by a group of dedicated flamenco enthusiasts, has as its objective not only to trace accurately the history and development of the flamenco art but also to identify and describe the character and meaning of the words, music, and dance in an effort to retrieve and restore its authenticity. In addition to tracing the history of flamenco through the lives of its great performers, it delineates the enormous influence flamenco has had on late 19th- and 20th-century composers of concert music, particularly in France and Spain: Ravel, de Falla, and others. In addition it serves as a guide both to where genuine flamenco music may be heard and to the performers who maintain the integrity of the tradition.--Adapted from book jacket.